Question time

Ages ago I asked if you had any questions.
And then I didn’t do anything with those questions.
But that is because I was working really, really hard. Honest.

Anyway, ta-da!

Q. Gabrielle Bricka: When oh when is your next booooook coming out?!?!?!?
A. Easy one. The Single Girl’s To-Do List will be out in the UK in June 2011. Yay!

Q: Line Sehested Laursen: I’d love to hear more about the music you listen to!
A. I love, love, love music. I’m loving Beach Fossils at the moment and I’m excited for the new Pains of being Pure at Heart album next year. The new Bear Hands album is also great. I would say The Drums but they stole my friend away for a month as their photographer and I haven’t forgiven them. Yet. Also, I haven’t been to nearly enough gigs lately, something that has to change asap. Aside from new stuff, I’m always listening to Camera Obscura, Sleater-Kinney, Interpol, Arcade Fire, Tegan & Sara, Those Dancing Days, The Cure, Sky Larkin and I love, love, love great pop music. Massive Cheryl fan. Oh and motown. I’ll dance all night to motown.

Q. Sam Hill: That’s what I wanted to know and will it be a follow up or a different character all together?
A. The new book is an entirely different character but who knows, there might be the odd crossover character in there if you can spot them…

Q. Tarryn Evans: Ditto when when when want more heart series!!! Your writing is so light and witty :O)!
A. Ahh, thanks. The next I Heart book hasn’t been scheduled yet but it is contracted so it is happening! Never fear, I Heart Vegas is already well on its way.

Q. Kamillah Adams: Which book do you wish you had written?
A. Oh god, so many… Fantastic Mr Fox, The Secret History, Remember Me to Harold Square and every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Which I know isn’t a book but I’d have been really good at it.

Q. Rachel Burke: Have you written anymore “I Heart..” Books? I love them! x
A. Just New York, Hollywood and Paris at the moment but Vegas and London are simmering away…

Q. Katy Michelle Adams: What’s the funniest thing you have ever done with your best friend? What is the most lavish thing you own? What is currently on your MP3? Xxx
A. The funniest thing I’ve ever done with my best friend? Oh my… there are far too many. My entire life is ridiculous. I think the road trip from Manhattan to Toronto with Rachael Wright must be up near the top right now. Have you ever danced to Buffalo Stance in Buffalo? You really must.
The most lavish thing I own is a sapphire celebration ring from Tiffany & Co. It sparkles and one day, it might have to pay my rent.
Currently on my MP3s Beach Fossils, Kenickie, The Hairs and Frankie & The Outs.

Q. Donna Pardy: What’s the one moment you will remember forever???
A. Book-related it’s got to be reading the email from my soon-to-be publisher telling me they wanted to publish I Heart New York. Non-book related, loads of really sad moments are coming to mind but that’s probably because it’s very late and I should be asleep. So I’m going to say visiting Niagara Falls this year. It involved fireworks, some tears, a feathered head dress and a Wendy’s fest. Amaze.

Q. Jenni Mckechnie: Is Angela loosely based on you?A. Some of my friends would disagree but I wish we were more similar! Angela’s life is way more together than mine. And hello, Alex? Grrr.

Q. Susie Murphy: If you could have written any book that’s already been published by someone else what would it be and why? 😀 If you weren’t an author what do you think you’d have done for ur career? x
A. Ahh, I already answered the book question! As for the other one, I’m not sure… I loved working in publishing but if I could have done anything in the entire world without fear of failure, obviously I’d be a rockstar. If only I could sing. Or play more than three chords on the guitar. Damn it.

Q. Terri Cameron Hook: How did you come up with the idea of the ‘i heart books’ xx
A. To cut a long story short, I was bored out of my mind with my life and hopelessly in love with New York. With no chance of moving there (at the time!) I wrote a fantasy about what would happen if someone did. And before I knew it, I had I Heart New York written in six weeks.

Q. Kat Duncan: What’s your favourite singer or band and why?
A. I always really struggle to pick a favourite but probably Sleater-Kinney, Kenickie or Camera Obscura because I always end up coming back to their albums over and over.

Q. Dawn Walmsley Was Scott: What do you miss about the UK?A. Mostly friends and family but then every so often it will be a little thing that doesn’t occur to you for ages, like, I can’t buy mincemeat for mince pies anywhere in NYC. Seriously. Not OK.

Q. Heidi Minchin: What’s your biggest ‘splurge’ since being a superstar author?!
A. Either my Petal to the Metal Marc by Marc Jacobs bag (swoon) or my sapphire ring. I don’t know what I was thinking, honestly. I really don’t splurge anymore because I’m literally writing for my life and not having a regular income for the first time since I was 19 is terrifying. I keep telling myself I’ll be rich one day despite all the evidence to the contrary. I will, right? Right?

Q. Charlotte Passingham: What or who inspires you when you start a new project?
A. I just really love writing so the idea that I get to do this for a living now is pretty inspirational. There are always a million things happening to me and my friends that I think would make great stories. My next book, The Single Girl’s To-Do List was inspired by a) my obsessive commitment to making lists and b) a lot of relationship stuff me and my friends were going through at the time. I wish I could pretend it was more deep and meaningful but really, just mine and my friends’ tragic love lives. Inspirational.

Q. Sheryl Gribben: What is your biggest achievement to date and if you haven’t already achieved it what would it be? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? If you could swap places with anyone for the day who would it be?
A. My biggest achievement would either be moving to New York which is something I’d wanted for years but never thought would happen or leaving my job to write full-time. That was pretty incredible. Please cross your fingers for me that it works out…
In five years, I have no idea what I’ll be doing. Hopefully I’ll be happy, that’s pretty much all I’m asking for.
And if I could swap places with someone for the day I’d swap with a boy and try to work out what’s going on in his tiny mind. Reckon I’d need more than a day though. Or less. It’s entirely up in the air.

Q. Noemie Leemann: The next book coming out is not from the “i heart series” what made you decide to write about something new?
Is it the beginning of a new series or will it be a stand alone novel?
Do you have an idea how many I heart books will be in the series…?
A. I really wanted to write another character and another story that wouldn’t work in the I Heart world. I love Angela but I don’t ever want to force a story on her for the sake of it, this one needed a fresh cast of characters. When I started it, it was definitely a standalone but I get so obsessed with my characters, it could easily become a series. I think it might have to be a standalone though – I need to learn how to end something.
At the moment, there will be two more I Heart books. I don’t want to out stay my welcome by writing books that aren’t needed but who knows? As long as there’s a story to tell, I’ll keep writing them. Lots of non-I Hearts simmering away though.

Q. Sheryl Gribben: Oh and i just remembered another one….Big or Aiden?
A. Aiden. As long as we’re discounting the second movie, in which case neither. But Aiden. Every time. Big is a tool.

Q. Robert Nelson: When’s your next book out?
A. A boy asked a question! A boy asked a question! And June 2011.

11 Comments

I’ve always pictured Angela in Bondi or Alex’s band playing a gig at The Metro or Enmore and getting so much support they get bumped up to The Horden. Or that she gets on a train to go to Cronulla and ends up at Emu Plains 😉

I heart Sydney ! I heart Sydney ! The weather (currently) is beautiful, sunny and warm. The people are friendly, despite the fact that they are all mad because Oprah is here at the moment, we are a pretty laid back bunch and we have the best non Starbucks coffee ever 😉

I loved remember me to Harold Square too!!!! A seriously good if eclectic bunch of books and show you wish you had written.
I really admire your courage just to do it move and write, know there is a bit more to it than that!!!
Ps I lived near Buffalo for nearly a year and didn’t dance to buffalo stance there once, I feel like I totally missed out!!

Ha! Love it.
Zara, sadly Alex is entirely fictional. Too sad, right? And if a movie was made of the books, ooh, I have no idea. They’re all so totally formed in my head. But maybe, just maybe, we’ll make a movie or a TV show one day and then we’ll be able to pick people for real!